There is an ever-growing demand for data communications in application areas such as wireless communications, fiber optic communications and so on. The demand on access networks is especially growing because not only are user devices such as smartphones and computers using more and more bandwidth due to multimedia applications, but also the total number of devices for which data is carried over the access networks is increasing. For profitability and to meet increasing demand, equipment manufacturers and network operators are continually looking for ways in which operational and capital expenditure can be reduced.